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~*~ TDT2: The Blood Debt ~*~

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19-Jan-2008 06:50:11

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

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~*~*~*~
"Are you sure this is the way?"
“Of course I’m sure, Krystal. I live here, remember?”
“Yes, and I also remember seeing that tree about twenty minutes ago.”
Rivera reined in so quickly that Krystal’s horse staggered to keep from hitting her. Behind her, the horse that followed whinnied in surprise. “I am quite capable of finding the way back to my home. I grew up in these woods. I know exactly where we are,” she snapped. “But if you are having doubts, feel free to go and look for it on your own. I wish you luck.” Then she kicked the mare into motion again.
Krystal clenched her jaw, hesitated, then began moving again. Rivera, a few paces ahead, rolled her eyes and struggled to control her own frustration. Foolish woman. She did, in fact, know where they were. She knew the small landmarks of these woods that guided her home, but Krystal did*’t. Of course she felt lost. But Rivera would be d**ned if she’d tell Krystal such important secrets.
“Even if we aren’t lost,” Krystal began with a sigh, “what makes you think we’ll find Bond at your hideout?”
Rivera slashed angrily at an unlucky tree branch in her path. “We’ve been over this,” she said with a shaking voice that betrayed her struggle with her patience. “The horse was one from our stables – a guardsman’s horse. You saw the blood on his coat. There were other search parties. My guess is that they found Bond, but he put up a bit of a fight. Whoever was mounted on this horse happened to fall off, and probably the horse bolted. Having seen no one else, I would conclude they took him back.”
Krystal’s hands tightened on the reins. To allow herself such hope…It was dangerous. But she couldn’t stop herself from imagining his face, his smile, his arms around her…and then she realized she would see him through the bars of a cell, and he would not be able to embrace her, but instead face her from an old, rusty cot in a dank corner…Her throat tightened. “And if he is there…will he still be a prisoner?”

21-Jan-2008 03:01:21

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Rivera bowed her head. “Not once I get there,” she said after a moment. But her resolve was not the reason she had paused. The lies…soon she would be burned by them, she knew. They’d reach the hideout and Krystal would find out there had been no skirmish and Bond had not been found…and if she was extremely unlucky, that the horse they found was indeed the one Bond stole. Krystal would be heartbroken – and chances were she’d vent her anger on Rivera.
But it did*’t matter. They weren’t going to find Bond, she was sure. It had been days…he was probably gone. And what was it doing to Krystal to keep this information from her? False hope could have devastating consequences. But to say that it was Bond’s horse would keep the search going for days, when the horse could have wandered from any direction. Better to give it up, she knew, and continue on with the plan – gather her people and ride for Varrock.
She focused her thoughts around this, now. Her father was the one in control of the rebels and he would not agree to this plan. Somehow, she had to escape his authority and establish her own. But how to do it? She did*’t have long to figure it out. Sighing, she eyed the gnarled tree that marked a boundary of their territories. Within a few hours, they would be found by the sentries and she would be home.
~*~*~*~
Lil watched through hooded eyes as Kzahar paced the floor. Leaning back on the couch, she listened to Maston repeat his argument. “We have a better chance if we ride now!” he insisted. “The Duke could be lying. There probably isn’t a boat down near the marsh. Hell, there might not even be a boat waiting upriver. We should just ride north and if we see them on the other side of the river, we’ll figure out a way to stop them.”
“What have we got to lose?” Kzahar exclaimed, for the fifth time that hour. “A boat will get us to Varrock faster than we could ever ride. You’re all about haste, Maston, I would have thought you’d like this plan.”

21-Jan-2008 03:01:37

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“I’m about caution,” he snapped. “This man is an agent of Issavan’s. He’s probably a liar.”
“Actually, his wife was the one who spilled the information,” Lil put in. “I doubt she’* that clever.”
“They’re vipers,” Maston hissed. *She just sold the weeping, devoted wife act so well you actually bought it.”
“Come on, Maston,” soothed Arwing across the room, putting a hand on his knee. He relaxed under her touch. “Kzahar is right, we don’t lose anything by trying. If those guards are looking for Bond, they probably haven’t found him yet. We have time to intercept them still.”
Maston stared down each of them in turn. Emmaris, ever the obedient servant, bowed his head and remained silent. He had refused to join in the argument all morning. Lil knew Kzahar was right, as did Arwing. He was outnumbered, and he knew it. But for a man who had assumed a position of leadership, it hit him hard to feel it all breaking away. The struggle was clear on his face, but finally he nodded. There was nothing else he could do. “We go for the boat, then. But what about the castle?”
Lil peered out the window as she saw a flash, and watched a peasant run past with a sack of grain over each shoulder. The gates had opened and finally, hungry mouths were being fed. “I think the people from Lumbridge can handle it,” she laughed. “They’re enjoying this. The soldiers won’t be back until after they reach the boat, and never if we stop them. The peasants can handle the castle.”
“And the Duke and his family?” Maston pressed.
*He’s a cousin of Issavan’s,” Emmaris ventured quietly, still staring at the floor. “Maybe it is time to find out if we can truly handle the executions.”
All eyes were locked on him as the truth hit them. It was really happening. It was time for the debt to be paid. They couldn’t walk away now, not with the task they had been given. Arwing finally spoke into the long silence, voicing the thought they all shared. “How?” she asked, in a voice barely audible.

21-Jan-2008 03:01:57

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“We rode past some gallows on the way in,” Maston offered in the same tone.
“Nobles are beheaded,” Kzahar replied, putting a hand to the hilt of his sword.
“And would we grant them that honor?”
“They’re going to be murdered, there is no honor in that, Maston! I’ve not desire to watch them swing from a noose, let’s be done with it, and quickly,” he rasped. Maston rubbed his temple and shrugged.
“Fine, then. Will you do it? Will you begin the killings?”
Their eyes locked across the room. Lil could feel the tension in the room, see Kzah***s taut muscles, the vein pulsing in his jaw. “Would you prefer to do it?”
Maston laughed harshly. “Be my guest, Kzahar.” He rose and stalked from the room. Arwing sighed and hurried after him. Kzahar crashed into the nearest chair and put his head in his hands.
~*~*~*~
“Come on, you,” grumbled the soldier, shoving the blond man hard in the shoulderblades. He staggered, and the soldier rushed to catch him. He couldn’t blame him – he was half-dead to begin with, and a day and night of non-stop riding did*’t help anyone. But that was done with. “Almost there, you can rest once we’re aboard.” He pushed him forward again, but this time the man fell, rolling down the riverbank and splashing through the shallows. Harsh laughter accompanied the men who clambered from the boat anchored there and lifted him.
“So this is the mighty warrior from the contest?” jeered the captain on deck. The soldiers hooted on shore, watching as he was dragged aboard by the boat’s other two guards. “Did we really need an entire legion for this? I thought he would be a fighter.”

21-Jan-2008 03:02:10

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“He don’t even know who he is,” called the soldier as he led his horse down the bank, the others following behind him.
“So this might not even be the right man?”
The horse’s hooves clattered onto the wooden deck of the boat as the soldier replied, “No, it’s him, I’m sure. He just don’t know it.”
“No matter. We should get moving. Sooner we get to Varrock, the sooner we get a handsome reward for finding this fellow.” The captain grinned. “Ready, men?” The soldiers milled about the deck with their horses, while the guards picked up the poles that would push them upriver. The blond man slumped senselessly at the captain’s feet, mumbling in his fevered stupor. There was a murmur of assent, and the captain began to shout orders. By nightfall, they would be in Varrock.

21-Jan-2008 03:02:21

Crystal Smee

Crystal Smee

Posts: 7,994 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
My HUGE HUGE HUGE thanks to whoever fixed the quotation thing. It's a miracle. ^_^
Oh, and this has just cleared 100 story posts. *confetti*
And my apologies for drawing this out so much. I've gotten so far off track with this story. I guess that just means there will be a third book. Or this one will be ridiculously long. Thanks to Genzen for helping me work out what I'm doing next. =)
*more confetti*

21-Jan-2008 03:02:54 - Last edited on 21-Jan-2008 03:06:25 by Crystal Smee

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